Jim Thorpe, the Poconos, Pennsylvania

This Asa Packer Mansion Museum is located in the home of Asa Packer, a philanthropist, railroad businessman, and founder of Lehigh University.

• Architect Samuel Sloan built the three-story, 18-bedroom mansion in 1861. The mansion has been open to the public for tours since the Bear Mountain Lions purchased it in 1956.
• The inside of the mansion appears almost exactly as it did when the Packer family occupied the home in the late 1800s. Visitors can tour the mansion from Memorial Day to Halloween.
• After that time period, tour availability varies depending on the season.
• Where You'll Find it: PO Box 108, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania 18229, 570-325-3229

Jim Thorpe is 2 hours (81.8 miles via I-476 N) from Philadelphia.

Guests can get a taste of historic train travel by visiting the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. A 70-minute narrated tour on a diesel engine train leads visitors over span bridges and through the Lehigh Gorge State Park during which they can admire tranquil mountain scenery, dramatic cliffs, and a variety of wildlife while traveling along the historic railway. All of the trains are family-friendly, pet friendly, and wheelchair accessible. Special train rides through the Lehigh Gorge for holidays and festivals are also available.

1 Susquehanna St., Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 610-562-2102

The Old Jail Museum is a two-story stone structure that was built in the late 1800s. True to its name, the museum served as a jail for Jim Thorpe and surrounding communities through 1980. There are 27 cells inside of the jail, as well as rooms in the basement for solitary confinement. The jail is best known for the Molly Maguire trials, which ended with seven Irish coal miners being hanged from gallows. Today guests can tour the Old Jail Museum and see where one of the condemned Irishman placed his hand on the jail wall as a proclamation of his innocence.

128 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-5259

If you are traveling with kids:

The Harry Packer Mansion is a bed and breakfast that sits on Packer Hill, an area overlooking Jim Thorpe. The mansion may look familiar to Disneyworld visitors since the home was the inspiration for the theme park's Haunted Mansion attraction.

With 15-foot ceilings, marble fireplaces, and luxurious furniture, this mansion is a popular spot for self-guided tours. The Libations Lounge, a built-in bar, is the perfect spot to have a drink while enjoying views of the town below. The Jim Thorpe community holds regular events at the mansion, including murder mystery dinners and wine tastings. The mansion is available to rent for private events as well.

19 Packer Avenue, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-8566

The Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary is a prime spot for family outings and field trips. In addition to butterflies, the sanctuary is home to a variety of frogs and fish. The sanctuary has an education center and art room for children, along with a nature gift shop. In the Flutterarium, visitors can observe butterflies and learn how to hand-feed them. The sanctuary is also available as a space for birthday parties, and the establishment offers an entire birthday package that includes balloons, crafts, goody bags, and butterfly hatching kits.

18 Church Road, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-4848

Romantic Activities and Attractions:

A trip to The Mauch Chunk Opera House gives visitors and locals a taste of Jim Thorpe's unique culture. This lively arts center constantly hosts performances and exhibits for people of all ages. Local artists and musicians from nearby communities put on the majority of shows at the opera house. Guests can also take tours of the Mauch Chunk Opera House during which they will learn about the history of the spacious performance hall. A historical exhibit and an art gallery featuring works by Jim Thorpe artists are also part of the tour.

14 West Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-0249

The Mauch Chunk Museum tells the story of Mauch Chunk, the coal-mining town that preceded Jim Thorpe.

The main exhibit focuses on the Lenape Indians, the discovery of coal in the Jim Thrope area, the industrialization of Mauch Chunk, the Switchback Gravity Railroad, and Mauch Chunk's transformation into modern-day Jim Thorpe.

Geological history is another topic that is covered through the museum's exhibits. The second floor of the Mauch Chunk museum has a ballroom that is available for special events, including weddings, parties, and corporate get-togethers.

41 W Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-9190

Mauch Chunk Lake was built as a flood control project to prevent recurrent flooding of the town of Jim Thorp, caused by the waters of the Mauch Chunk Creek which runs under the city. The project was so successful that it was decided to build a park around the lake which would provide a welcome recreation area. Today the park welcomes vacationers from all over the state and beyond, who come to get back to nature and enjoy amenities like a campground and cottages, hiking trails, a swimming beach and great boating. There are 2 boat launches and fishing is permitting along much of the shoreline and from the fishing pier.

Mauch Chunk Lake Park, 625 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-3669

Pocono Whitewater is an adventure company that organizes exciting river rafting trips for the whole family. The company offers two whitewater rafting trips on the Lehigh River Gorge. The first trip, Dam Release Whitewater, is a 12-mile-long rafting adventure that includes sections of Class III rapids. The other trip, Family Style Whitewater, is a shorter expedition through smaller rapids. Moonlight rafting and pirate rafting are also favorites among Pocono Whitewater customers. In addition to rafting, the company offers biking and paintball adventures, and Pocono Whitewater also has tour packages for all-inclusive trips to Belize.

1519 State Route 903, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229, 570-325-3655